Copolymerization of CO2, propylene oxide, and itaconic anhydride with double metal cyanide complex catalyst to form crosslinked polypropylene carbonate

In this study, a high-activity Zn-Co double metal cyanide complex was synthesized and used to catalyze the ternary polymerization of carbon dioxide, propylene oxide, and itaconic anhydride to produce a new class of polypropylene carbonates characterized by excellent performance and low ether content. The number average molecular weight of the terpolymer was as high as 2.14 x 10(5) g.mol(-1), and the polydispersity index was as high as 1.58. In the case of PPCIAn(3), the 5% weight loss temperature increased by 70 degrees C, the total weight loss temperature increased by 100 degrees C, the tensile strength increased by 6.6 MPa, and the elongation at break decreased to 14.5% with respect to traditional polypropylene carbonate. The apparent efficiency of the catalyst was as high as 45.79 g(polymer)/g(catalyst), indicating its high catalytic activity. H-1-NMR spectrometry, gel permeation chromatography, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, and in situ Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy were used to characterize the polymerization process and the structural properties of the obtained terpolymers.